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DAVID WILLIAMS 
And the Capture of Andre 



A Paper Read before the Tarrytown 
Historical Society, by 



MARCIUS D. RAYMOND, 



January 1 5th, 1903 



^ 




DAVID WILLIAMS. 

Reproduced by permission from the copyright portrait in "Brouwere's 
Life Masks of Great Americans" by Charles Henry Hart. 



{The life mask of -a'/ihli tins portrait is a copy -a'as taken by Broinvcrc in iS2().) 




Andre Capture Monument. 




It is an interesting and significant fact that 
the lapse of a century and more has not lessened 
public interest in the capture of Major Andre, 
and the chief actors concerned in it; but later 
A-ears have witnessed a remarkable revival of it, 
extending to the minutest memoranda connected 
even remotely with the affair, including all the 
attendant circumstances, the personality of the 
Captors, the exact site of the capture, and the 
route by which the noted British Spy approached 
where he was arrested by the three incorruptible 
patriots, Paulding, Williams and Van Wart. In fact 
extensive research has been made, and diffuse 
newspaper controversy been engaged in, during the recent past, 
to prove that there were five rather than four of the party who 
U)ok i)ositi()n on the hill to the eastward, some of whom persist- 
ently sought for a portion of the reward given to the Captors. All 
of which is significant of the great importance which history in 
its final judgment places upon that act, and the unstinted honor 
which it awards the chief actors in that drama which has so 
attracted the attention of the world, and was one of the crises 
of the Revolution. 

Then why "carry coals to New Castle" — why repeat this 
story in Tarrytowti, where every tradition of it is all un- 
consciously woven into the woof of our every day life ? Partly 
to eliminate sonie manifest errors, so that the clear gold of truth 
may l)e made more clearly to appear. For errors, deej^-seated 
have been industriously disseminated, more or less affecting the 
virtue of the transaction as well as the reputation of those 
engaged in it — slanders most outrageous have been uttered by 
some against the Captors themselves, while Aveak though 
virulent efforts have been made by others to unsettle public 
confidence in even the monumental site of the capture. 

A distinguished author has interrogatively exclaimed as to 
whetlu'r there was more of truth or error in recorded history, 
and it may seem a thankless task to attempt to shoot error as it 
Hies, but the Three Incorruptible Patriots have not lacked and 
shall not lack valiant defeiiders. As to the virtue of their act, 
Washington put the stamp of approval upon it, in his words 
recorded with j^en of steel upon the Monviment in their honor 



which shall forever herald their fair fame: "Their conduct 
merits our warmest esteem." 

That they hesitated for one moment in their loyalty to duty; 
that they considered for one instant the alluring bribes offered 
them by the British Sp3' is a foul libel upon their unimpeachable 
character. Yes, he would f)ribe them. He hnd just bargained 
with Gen. Arnold for British gold, and certainly he could buy 
his way with these three rustic militia-men with a handful of 
shining guineas. But no; to his utter surj^rise they scornfully 
refused ev^en 10,000 pieces of gold and all the treasures that he 
could pledge for his safety, and so took him at once to Lieut. 
Col. Jameson, the commanding officer on the lines, from whom 
they had received their permit to go on a scout. As to particu- 
lar proof of this authorization, John Yerks, Jr., who was one of 
the party of seven, in a statement made Nov. 12, 1845, ^^^id : 
"Before starting on the expedition, we had apjdied to Capt. 
Baker, and our other comnianding officers, and the}- hatl full 
knowledge of and approved of our enterprise." 

They have been called ])oys, but the }'oungest of the three, 
John Paulding, A\'as t\venty-t\\'0, and the oldest, Da\-id Williams, 
was twenty-five. They have been called illiterate, but each of 
them w^as able to write his name in a good firm hand. The 
definite statements of two of the Captors, Williams and Van 
Wart, as to the historical accuracy of the location of the monu- 
ment, is a sufficient answer to the monumental blunderers wdio 
have in vain essayed to upset it. 

And as to the monument itself, it is astonishing what miscon- 
ceptions have ol3tained in regard to it, especially in connection 
Avith the monument which Cyrus W. Field caused to be set up 
at Tappan in honor of Andre. The Tarrytown n^ionument in 
honor of the Captors of Andre, from being called the Andre 
Capture Monument, came to be known as the Andre Monument, 
and hence the deduction by the general public that the monu- 
ment was in honor of Andre, so that when the monument set up 
b}" Mr. Field was thrown down by some indignant patriot, it 
was quite generally supposed that it was the monument at 
Tarrytown which had been destroyed; in fact, serious incjuiry 
was made of us by one of the officials in the State Capitol at 
Boston in the summer of 1885, as to the condition of the mon- 
ument here so supposed to have been dynamited. The flash of 



indignation with which it was answered did not lead him to re- 
peat tlie ([uesiion. In this connection, it may not be g-enerally 
l<nown, that onr monument came near being destroyed at that 
lime, instead of the one at TapiKui, the party who did the work 
of vandalism having come liere tor tliat purpose under the mis- 
taki-n ick'a, wliich so generally prevailed, that this was the 
I'icld monument, l)ut on conferring with a fellow countryman 
here in TarrN'town, he learned of his error and the next morning 
the Tap|)an monument was found shatteretl and thrown from its 
base. So eas\- the transposition from a monument to the Captors 
of .\ndre. to the Andre Mr)nument, and hence, by induction a 
monument in his honor. 

It is needless i I' not impossible to refute all of the misleading 
statements which ha\'e been published about Andre's capture, 
and those engaged in it, some of them ignorantlx* and others 
pre)udiciall\- made, but \\-hen a writer of the reputation of 
James Parton lends his name to their endorsement, it is well to 
gi\'e answer to them. In a coniniunicatioii j^uldished b}' the New" 
^'(»rk■ Ledger in 1S76, concerning the capture of Andre, spealcing 
of John Paulding, he said: "Neither at this time nor at any for- 
mer |)eriod had he been even a militia-man," and yet the records 
show that he had already served at least two terms of enlist- 
uu'Ut. and had twice escaped from prison in New York. Of 
I)a\id Williams he said: "He had ser\'ed inider Montgomery in 
Canaila, ' and then in close connection with this says that "Neith- 
er ol these men at the time belongetl to the service, but all of 
them ha<l occasionally joined in predatc^ry warfare; nor need we 
su|)po;;e that in their scouting expeditions they had always kept 
within the strict letter of the law." What a gratuitous and im- 
miligated slander of these distinguished Patriots. And then he 
intimates that the foiii- who were stationed on tlie hill \vere 
tlu're on the loolcout "lest the American Light Ilorse should 
break up the part}-, lor they were engaged in a business which 
was not special 1}' authorized." y\n original conception of a 
would be historian who was born on the other side of the w^ater 
with British ])rL'judice's ami predelections. 

And yet in his closing paragraph, Mr. Parton aj>])arent]y 
makes an eifoi't to be lair, though he still clings to his assertion 
that "the}' were not militia-men:" But to c[uote from him 
a<rain : 



Many of their descendants and connections are still living in 
Westchester County, with two of whom I was once well ac- 
quainted, and ^vas familiar also with the names and reputations 
of many others. They were the last jieople in the world whom 
we could believe to be descended from liars and robbers. I give 
up Pocahontas; I surrender John Smith ; but I liold fast to the 
"three militia-men," even though the\' were not militia men. 

The "American Light Horse" referred to l)y Mr. Parton was 
the organization known as Sheldon's Light Dragoons, \\'hose 
commantling ofllcer at that time ^^'as Lt. Col. Jameson, who had 
given the authorization for this party that captured Major Andre, 
to go on a scout, and it was to him, at North Castle, that the_y 
immediatel}' delix'ered up the Spy, who as yet had onl_\' given 
the name of John Anderson, and the papers found upon him. 
And their action was unqualifiedh' endorsed by him in a com- 
munication to Washington date of Sc})!. 27, 1780, only four da\-s 
after the event, in which he said : 

"This note will be delivered to ynu l)y John Paulding, one of 
the young men that took Major Andre, and \vlio nobly refusetl 
any sum of money that could be offered. The other t\vo young 
men that were in company with him are not yet found. As 
soon as they arrive, they shall be sent on." 

So the}' were not rinming around, as some would have us be- 
lieve, with their hats in their hands, saying, "We have captured 
INLijor Andre, and will Uncle Sam please give us a penny ! " but 
lik'e modest, self-respecting men having done their duty went 
their several ^*ays. and had to be sent for that they might be 
taken into the presence of the Commander-in-Chief. 

This act of these three immortal Patriots, Paulding, Williams 
and Van Wart, of supreme and national importance, will ever 
shine N\'ith l)rightest lustre on the pages of our local Revolution- 
arv histtuw. They belonged to the Militia of this hjcality, and 
tliere was never any dcnibt at any time of their sturdy loyalty to 
the American cause. It is our especial |)ride that they were the 
sons of the Dutch yeomanr\- on this Manor born, and near Tarry- 
town; that they were of the baptised children of the old Dutch 
Church, and we glory in tlie fact that they were of our own. 
Not only impurcliased, but impurchasable ! 

This as a fitting i)relude to the story of one of the Captors 
whose later life was spent far removed from these scenes, arid 
hence less known of him here than of the others. David Wil- 



Hams was horn, according to liis own statement, near Tarry- 
town, ])r<)l)al)ly in the Saw Mill River Valley, the son of Aert 
(Arthur) Williams (Willems) and Femmetie (Phebe) Waldron 
his wife, earlv in 1/55; according to the data on his monument, 
Mav 25, and was baptised, as recorded in the old Dutch Church 
records October 27th of that year, David See, after whom he 
was probably named, and Rachel Gardenier, being the sponsors. 
The parcMitage of Aert Williams, the father of David, does not 
clearly appear, but an Aert of an earlier generation lived in this 
vicinitN', and was pix-sumably his ancestor. Then there was a 
William Williams who married Hester Waldron, and was brother 
or kinsman, and there was an Abraham W^illiams, who married 
Mary See, who also seems to have been of that family. 

Aert Williams certainly had a sister Rachel, who married Mar- 
tinus Van Wart, the father of Isaac Van W^art, one of the Cap- 
tors, who was an own cousin to David Williams. Then David 
Williams had a sistei' Sarah who married David Mead, and a 
sister Catharine who married Andrew Green, a son Moses, 
baptised in 1769, for whom Moscs Harris ami Sarah W^illiams 
wen- s})()nsors. Also sisters Rachel and Maritie, and a l:)rother 
John, who were unmarried. We will only add the genealogical 
fact that f\'inmetie (Phebe) Waldron, the mother of David Wil- 
liams, was the daughter of Jan Waldron and Margarietie Rouw 
his wiic, and baptised at the old Dutch Church, Nov. 20, 1736, 
Nicklaes Rouw and Annatie Rouw being sponsors. Margarietie 
Rouw (Rowe) was a member of the old Dutch Church date of 1734. 

The Rowi.' famil}' was of great Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., 
while the Waldrons were a prominent Dutch family of Harlem, 
some ol' whom migrated in this direction. This W^illem or 
Williams famil\- was uiuiuestionably of good Holland descent. 

This much for the birth and ancestrv of David Williams, who 
grew u|) amid these primitive surroundings a sturdy, right- 
minded }'()uth, inui'ed to toil, with the inherent virtues of Fidel- 
ity, Courage and Patriotism implanted in his breast. That he 
was not a laggard in the Patriot cause is shown by the fact of his 
enlistiiK'nt in the 4th Regiment of the Line of Westchester County 
Volunteers under command of Col. Jas. Holmes, which embarked 
at Tarrytown in the latter part of May, 1775, and so sailed away 
on that daring and des])erate adventure which had loi- its aim 
the coiupiest of an empire in extent — a most audacious effort at 



exjiansion of the then nascent Rcpulilic. A l^okl scheme, but it 
liad the approval of Washington and tliere \vere mit wanting 
1)ra\'e adventurers who <hired to inidertake the aehie\'enient. 

Da\'id Williams was of the exjoedition that under tlie gallant 
Montgomery sueeessfully beseiged St. Johns, and later captured 
Montreal, then pushed on to Quebec, wliere their heroic leader 
fell in a des})erate assault upon the citadel of that stronghold 
on the fatal night of Deceml)er 3 1 st, 1775. Hut though i)alHed 
and oN'erborne, those Ijrave American Volunteers, in s|)ite of the 
cold and storms of winter wdiich sun'oundc'd them, lik'e Mar- 
luion of old lifted the broken fragments (if their blades and 
shouted defiance to the enem\' upon the battlements. And our 
modest hero was one of them. In this connection, of himsell he 
brielh" sa\'s in a well authenticated interview : 

I ser\-ed out my time which was six months. 1 then went and 
listed again in the si)ring of 1776; and continued in the service bv 
different enlistments, as a New York Militiaman, initil 1779. 

In 177M, when in Ca])t. Acker's Company of New \'ork Militia 
at l\n'r\'to\\'n, I asked his permission to take a walk in company 
with William Van W'art, a boy sixteen or se\-enteen }-ears old. 
We proceeded to the cross-roads on Tompk'ins' ridge; stood look- 
ing a few minutes; saw five men coming; the\' had arms. We 
jumped over a stone fence and concealed ourseK'es in a corner of 
it; observed that the\' were armed with two muskets an»l three 
])istols. The\' came so nigh that we recognized two of them, viz; 
William Underbill and William Mosher, ^\d^o were Tories, and 
k'nown to be of De Lancey's Corps. 

When they had come within i)roper distance, I said to my com- 
panion, "Bill \-, neck or no joint ! " I then said aloiul, as if speak- 
ing to a number, with the view of intimidating them, "Men, 
mak'e reach'!" The\' stoj)])c'd im mediatel \' : 1 told them to 
gi-ound their arms, which the\' did: I then said, "Akirch away;"" 
lhe\' did so: I then )um])ed o\'er the lence, secured their arms, 
and made them march l)etore us to our c|uarters. 

I continued in the serx'ice until a week or ten days before the 
year 17S0. 

In Dec-ember, 1779, Capt. Daniel W'illiams, who was comman- 
der of our c-om])an\', mounted us on horses and we went to Mor- 
risania, Westc-hester County. We swept all Morrisania clean; 
took probably ii\e thousand dollars" \\"orth of proj)ert\'; returned 
to Tarr\town, and ([uartered at Voungs' house. 

My feet being frozen, my luule Martinus Van Wart, took me to 
his house. I told Caj)t. W'illiams that the enem_\' would soon l:»e 
at \\)iniii""s; and that if he remained there he \\'oulcl be on his 



\va\- l)ack to Morrisania before niornint^". He paid no attention to 
my remark; he did not believe me; but in the course of the nif^ht a 
woman came to my uncle's, crying- "Uncle Martinus! Uncle 
Martinus!" the truth was, the British had surrounded Young's 
house, madi- ])risoners of all the company, except two; and 
burned the ])arn. 

Having got well of my frozen feet, on the third of June, we 
were all driven from Tarrytown to the town of Salem, in the 
upi^er part of Westchester County. We belonged to no organiz- 
ed comjianv at that time; were under no command; and worked 
for our board or johnn\-cake. 

Isaac V'an Wart, who was a cousin of mine, Nicholas Storms, 
and mwself went to Tarrytown on a visit; we carried muskets 
with us; and, on our ^vay, tt)ok a Quaker who said he was go- 
ing to New York after salt and other things. The Quaker was 
taken before the American authority and accpn'tted. 

In |u]\' or August a number of ])ersons of whom I was one, 
went on a \'isit t(^ our friends in Tarrytown; and, ^^'hile on the 
way, took- ten head of cattle which some refuges were driving to 
New York; and on examination before the authorit}', the cattle 
were restoretl to their rightful owners as they pleaded inno- 
cence, saying the\' were stolen from tlu-m. I then retvirned to 
Saleni, and \\'orked with a Mr. Benedict for m \' board, imtil the 
t wi'nt \'-second of September. 

The foHowing is l)<i\'id Williams' well s'erihed accoiuU of the 
Captui'e of Andre : 

It was about one o'clock' 1'. M., of Sept. 22d, as I was standing 
in the door with Mr. Benedict's daughter, (who A\'as afterwards 
my wife), when I saw six men coming. She remarked, "The)" 
ha\'e guns." I jumped over a l)oard fence and met them. "Boys, 
said I, "where ai"e \'ou going.' " Thev ans\\'ered. "We are go- 
ing to Tarrytown." I then said, " If you will wait until I get 
m)' gun. I will go with \-ou." 

The names of the six persons were Isaac Van Wart, John 
I'anMing, William Williams. John Work's, and Jaim'S Romer — 
the name of the- sixth, I luu'e loi-gotten. We ])roceeded about 
tifteLMi miles that night, and slept in a ha\- barrack. In the 
morning we crossed Buttermilk' Mill; and John Paulding pro- 
l)Osed to go to Isaac Reeil's, and g\'t a pack ot cards to divert 
ourseh'es with. ;\IU'r procuring them we went on to Davis' 
Ilill, where wi.' separated; leaving four to the hill, and three, 
\iz.: Van Wart, Paulding and myself. ])roceeded oti the Tarry- 
town road, and concealed ourseh'es in the buslies on the west 
side ol the road, and commenced phn'ing cards, three hand, that 
is each one for h imsel 1'. 

We had not been ])laying more than one hour, wlien we heard 
a horse galloping across a bridge but a few yards from us. 



Whicli ot us spoke I tlo not remember; but one of us said, 
"There comes a trader, j^oini;" to New York." We stepped out 
from our concealment and stopped hint. "My lads," said he, "I 
hope- you belong to our party." We asked him " What party ? " 
He replied, "The lower partw" We told him we did. He then 
said, " I am a British officer ; have been up in the country on 
particular businevs^,; and would not ^\'ish to l)e detained a min- 
ute ;" and as a token to convince us he was a gentleman, he 
pulled out and showed us his gold watch. 

We then told him we were Americans. "God bless my 
soul," lie said, "a man must do anythinL^f these times to get 
aloiig; and then showed Gen. Arnold's pass. 

We told him it wouhl not satisfv us without searching him. 
" M\' lads," said he, \'ou will bring )'ourselves into trouble." 
We answere(l, "We did not fear it;" and conducted him several 
rods into the woods. M\' comrades appointed me to search him. 
Commencing with his hat, I searched his person effectually, but 
found nothing until I pulled off his boot, when we discovered 
that something \vas concealed in his stock'ing. Paulding caught 
hold of his foot and exclaimed \vith an oath, "here it is." I 
])ulk'd off liis stocking, and inside of it, next to the sole of his 
foot, found three half-sheets of paper enclosed in another half- 
sheet which was endorsed, "West Point;" and on pulling off the 
other boot and stocking, I found three like papers, enclosed and 
endorsed as the other. On reading them, one of my companions 
said, " He is a Spy ! " 

We tlK'U asked him where he got those ]~)apers. He told us 
"Of a man at Pine's l^ridge, but," he said, "he did not k'liow his 
name." He ofteri-d us his gold \vatch, liis horse, saddle, l)ridle, 
and a hundred guineas, if we wouhl let him go. We tohl him, 
"No," unless he ^\■ould " inform us where he got the papers." 
He answer^'d us as before, but increased his offer to a thousand 
guim-as. his horse, etc. He then said, "Gentlemen! I will 
"givi^' \-ou ten thousand guineas and as much dr_\'-goods as you 
"will ask". ConcL'al me in an_\- place of satety while you can 
"send to New Yorlc with an order to Sir Flenry Clinton from me, 
"and the goods and mone\' will be procured so that }'ou can get 
"them unmolesti^'d." We replied, " Not if you would give us ten 
"thousand guiuL'as \-ou should not stir a stc]); \ve are Ameri- 
"cans, ami above corruj)tion, and go with us you must." We 
"then took' him about twel\-e miles to Colon«.d Jameson's cpiarters 
"at North Castle." 

The high commendation of Washington, the prompt action of 
Congress in bestowing a reward of ^.'500, a life pension of $200, 
and awarding a Medal to each of them, was not only a suitable 
recognition of the virtue and im]:)ortance of their action, but 



so placed llu- mark of official ai)|)robatic)n and honor upon ihcm. 
To continue the story ol' David Williams: It appears from the 
dred book of the Commissioners of Forfeiture for this Ccumty 
that he selected lands under the award of Cont;-ress in the town 
of Ivislchcster, as the followinj^- coi)ied from said deed l)Ook 
shows, this ])reanihle therein fully ap])earin!:;- : 

Im.p an<l in consideration of the services David Williams 
hath rendered his country in api)rehending- and securini;- the 
l^ritish DeputN' A.ljutant Cieneral, Major Andre, who was return- 
ing to New York after having in the character of a S])y concerted 
measures with the inlamous Benedict Arnold, then commanding- 
the i)osts in the lligiilands, for 1)etraying the said posts into the 
hands of the cnemv; and for his virtue in refusing a large sum 
of monev offered l)^• the said Major Andre as a bribe to permit 
him to escape; and for and in consideration ot a further sum 
named, the said Commissioners granted and sold unto him, a 
ceidain tract of land late in the i)ossession of l{dmund Ward in 
the town of l^astcliester, being altogether 252 ^ acres, h)r which 
the total price was /"r,36o. I2s., 6])., less the ;l,\soo awarded him 
bv the (iovernment. The date of this conveyance was June 16, 
1/8^, Init he re-conve\'ed a portion ot the same to Stt^-jdien W'ard 
the same vear and he ma\' never ha\'e lix'^'d theu'e, or only for a 
shoiM timi.'. His })urchase of a part of the farm of his lather-in- 
law, |ose])li l^enedict, of Lower Salem, 140 acres, toi- which he 
paid i,"*'*40, oecanax'd June 2}, 1789; at least he did not tak'e title 
till that date. In this connection it should be stated, on the au- 
thorit\- of Simm's Frontiersmen of New York', to which we are 
imlebted lor oilier data, that David \Villiams' father, Aert Wil- 
liams, i-emo\(.'d earh' in the war from near Tarr\town to Cross 
Rix'er. Lower Salem, and li\ed on lands bLdonging to J(~)seph 
Reneilict, wdiosi^' daughter, his son Da\'id, after\\'ar(,ls married. 
And there he, .\eid Wi 1 1 iams, Ldnt iniK'd to reside until his decease. 

Nanc\' Heiu-dict, was marriecl to Daxdd W'illiams on the Qtli of 
Januarw 1782, as we asi'ertained from doc(_iment on lile in the 
pension oflice al Washiiigton, Sarah Mead, a sister of David 
Williams and the wife of Da\'iil M^'ad, ha\'ing testified to that 
effect, and lliat she was ])r(.'sent on that occasion; her statement 
lia\ing l)een maile at Bethk'hem, A n)an \' Count v, in Ianuar\', 
1841, in support of t he ai)plicalion of Mrs. Williams f(UMhe re- 
newal of her late husband's [)ension, which \\as granted in 1843. 




WX^mSSlSI: 



The David Williams Homestead. 



Nancy Benedict was one of the twenty-three chihlren of Joseph 
Benedict, who was three times married, her mother having been 
Lydia Doane. It is said of her that she was superior in educa- 
tion to many of those around her, and that she was constantly 
engaged in teaching those wliose advantages had been less than 
lier own. In 1776, when Gen. Howe advanced northward from 
New York, it is said that she mounted her horse and with other 
horse-women foHowed the Patriot army and so witnessed the 
Battle of White Phdns. 

Joseph Benedict died July 17, 1793, and by his will gave his 
daughter Nancy, who was named as one of the Executors, a 
consiilerable interest in both his real and personal estate, and 
her only son, David Williams, Jr., was born there at the old Ben- 
edict homestead, while some of the furniture so becjueathcd is 
still kei)t in the family as treasured heirlooms. 

The date of the removal of the family to Schoharie County is 
given as 1805, and soon after arriving there Mr. Williams became 
possessed of a farm up on the Mountain, now called Williams 
Hill, in the t()wn of Broome, and near to the hamlet of Livingston- 
ville, which is at the junction of the two moiuitain streams 
which there uniting form the Catskili. A wild and romantic spot 
indeed he chose for his home, in full view of the lordly Catskills 
across the narrow valley to the southward, and far removed 
from other sight or soinul than Nature's own. It had been for 
half a score of years or more the home of Gen. D<\niel Shay, 
notetl as the leader of Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts, after 
the Revolution, and it niay have been Ijccause of his participation 
in that tragedy that he sought such retirement. He afterwards 
removed to Sparta, in Livingston County, where an effort is now 
being made to erect a monument at his grave. And yet in no 
accoiuit of him pul')lished, excej)t in Sinim's Frontiersmen of New 
York, is it noted that for fifteen years after the so-called Shay's 
Rebellion, which for a time terrorized w^estern Massachusetts, he 
had resided in retirement at Li\'ingston\'ille, on the farm which 
was afterwards so long the home of David Williams. 

Wliile by reason of his removal to Schoharie County he had 
been measurably lost sight of here, on a recent visit there we 
found ;d)undant e\'idence of the large and honorable ]:)lace he 
canu' to occup}- at that place, and of the high respect that \\'as 
paid him in all that vicinage. 



At the village of Schoharie stands the noble monument that 
has been erected to him by the aid of the State and the activity 
of patriotic citizens. And it is well placed near the walls of the 
old Stone Fort which successfully resisted the assaults of the 
Tories and Indians during the Revolution. It was a visit to 
that place during the past summer that incited to a research long 
since contemplated. A trip, in fact, two journeys, to the Williams 
home on the Mountain at Livingstonville, followed, and we there 
•••athered up some interesting incidents from the oldest surviving 
grandson. Mr. Wm. Campbell Williams, who still owns the (^Id 
homestead, an*! resitles on a farm adjoining. He not only 
cherishes the family traditions, but is the possessor of the Andre 
Ca])ture Medal that was presented to his grandfather, and other 
mementoes (^f him, among which the jMjwder horn \vhich was 
carried by Da\'id Williams on the day of the Capture, as is -well 
attested bv liis grandmother who personally gave it to him as a 
precious relic, and wdiich he generously placed in our hands to 
be eventually deposited with the Tarrytown Historical St^ciety. 

Mr. Williams was preseiit at the Centennial Celebration of the 
Caj^ture of Andre in 1880, as an honored guest, and from him we 
obtainetl information which has aided much in the preparation 
of this sketch. His photo, and that of his good wife, appear in 
in the ])icture of the old homestead which he had taken for this 
special use. Mr. Williams was one of those who crossed the 
Plains to California in 1858. has been in the West Indies, and is 
full of interesting incidents of his own life, but nothing personal 
to himself interested us more than his graj)hic description of the 
drul^bing which, ^vhile yet a stalwart }'outh. he gave to a man 
who in his presence made some reflections upon the patriotism 
of his grandsirc. When he got through with him the Coroner 
and Untlertakcr might well have been invited in! 

The following sketch of l)a\'id Williams, copied from a i)aper 
[)ublished at Rensselacrx'ille, an adjoining towm, in Albany Co., 
evidences the esteem in which he was held in that locality : 

"One of tlie jMoneers of this region, he early became one of the leading spirits among 
our ancestors. Looked up to and respected for his integrity of character, and revered by 
all for the imjiortant ])urt he ]ilayed so well in that great drama which gave to ns our in- 
dependence, it was but natural that his society should be sought far and near, and by no 
people was he more cordially welcomed than liy our village fathers. Here he found 
those congenial souls who were ever ready to listen to his stories of the Revolution, and 
when he wanted recreation from his daily laboi's, it was to " The City," (the early name 




DAVID WILLIAMS' MONUMENT. 



The monument is of wliile marble, 23 feet ij inelies in lieit^ht, and has tlie fol- 
lowing inseriptions upon it: 

David Williams died Aus^ust 2d, 1.S31, aged 7I) years, 6 months and S davs. 

South Side: — "By authority of Congress, 17S0, a Silv-er Medal was voted to 
them and ])resented to the Cajitors by General Wa.shington, at a dinner to whieh 
he invited them while tlie army was eneamped near West Point." 

North wSide:- '■ \'iihit A)iio>- Pcxtriac. " General Washington's letter to the 
President of Congress, October, 17S0 : " The parties that took Maj. Andre, 
aeted in such a manner as does them the highest honcjr and prov^es them to be 
men of great virtue." 

West Side: — Nancy Benedict, wife of David Williams, died August stli, 1S44, 
aged 87 years, (> months and S days. 



given to our then flourishing village) that he came. It was here that he always used to 
join our fathers in celebrating the old fashioned Independence day. (Jiven a conspicuous 
seat on those memorable occasions it was with gratifying pride that the s{)eakers would 
turn to the old "Major,' as he was familiarly called, and with bursts of s]^read eagle or- 
atory tender to him the thanks of a grateful country, and tlien call upon the rising gen- 
eration to emulate his patriotism. 

"He was by habit an early riser, and very industrious. Owing to his great liberality, 
he accumulated but a small property. In principle he was a warm republican. (Jeft'er- 
sonian.) His early education was limited, but being fond of reading he acquired a good 
fund of general information. Not a member of any church, he regularly attended divine 
worshi]) when opportunity offered, frequently opening his own house for that purpose. 

"In the fall of 1830, the Corporation of the City of New York sent him an invitation by 
special messenger to be present as a guest at the Celebration of tliC French Revolution. 
He was with Enoch Crosby, another hero of '76, and two others, drawn in an elegant 
carriage at the head of the procession, attracting much attention and receiving enthusi- 
astic applause from the assembled multitude. While in the city he visited, with the Mayor 
and other distinguished citizens, the theatres, public schools, navy yards, etc., at all of 
which he was a distinguished guest. At one of the schools, a silver cup was presented 
him, at another, a silver headed cane, the stem of which was made from a part of the 
c/n-i'iui.x de frisf used near West Point during the Revolution. He was also presented, 
while on this visit, with an elegant horse, carriage and harness by the Mayor. 

"Mr. Williams returned from New York in December, soon after which he began to 
fail rapidly. The excitement attending his visit was no douljt too much for one of his 
age and retired habits. Conscious of his condition he manifested a spirit of resignation to 
the divine will. He died at sunset, on Tuesday, August 2d, 1S31." 

The local papers of that (kite contained thi.' followino- notice 
of his death and funeral: 

"The venerable David Williams, the last of the Captors of Major Andre, has gone to 
his rest full of years and full of glory. He died at his residence in Broome, on Tuesday 
the 2d inst., at the age of 77. His remains were interred on Thursday, with military 
honors, at Livingston ville, in the presence of a large concourse of citizens who had as- 
sembled to pay the last sad tributes of respect \.o his mortal remains. At 10 o'clock a 
sermon was preached by Rev. Marcus Smith of Rensselaerville. After the sermon a 
procession was formed under direction of Col. Joseph Bouck, in the following order: 
Military; Reverend Clergy; Pall Bearers; Col. John Niles; Col. Lewis M. Dayton; Lt. 
Helim Dayton, of Rensselaerville; Col. Zadock Pratt of Prattsville; Relatives and Citi- 
zens. At the grave an appropriate eulogy was pronounced by R. McClellan Esq., and 
the farewell salute of the militcu'y closed the exercises." 

It appears that by a special dispensation he had been made a 
Mason while on his visit to the city of New York, but it was 
not generally known until a l^ody of fellow craftsmen leathered at 
his bier clothed in their white aprons and fidl Masonic regalia. 

Mrs. Williams lived to be 87, and died in 1844. beloved and re- 
spected by all who knew her. Eleven years after the death of 
Mr. Williams she succeeded in securing the renewal of his pen- 
sion with back pay u}) to that date, amounting to $2,200. David 
Williams, Jr.. continued to reside at the old homestead. The life 
of this son was a peculiarly pleasant one. Inheriting the virtues 



of his parents he early drew around him a host of warm friends. 
Was a school teacher, Town Assessor, and a prominent citizen. 
He married the sister of Col. Hess and left a family of three sons 
and four daughters. 

The celebration of the French Revolution which Mr. Williams 
attended, was held on the 26th of November, 1830, and was pro- 
nounced by the cotemporaneous press to have been the most 
splendid piece of pageantry of the kind ever witnessed in the 
City of New York, with the single exception of the display on 
the opening of the Erie Canal. A special messenger, a Mr. 
Campbell, was sent up to Schoharie County to escort Mr. Wil- 
liams, and the daily papers in announcing his arrival stated that 
"he will be a guest at the public dinner in the 9th Ward on the 
evening of the day of the Celebration." Another paper says : "A 
ball will be given on Tuesday evening, the 30th inst., at Military 
Hall, 9th Ward, in honor of Mr. David Williams, the only sur- 
viving Captor of Major Andre." And it is in evidence that he 
led off in the mazy dance with a sprightliness remarkable for 
one of his years. He was also an honored guest at a dinner 
given in the 8th Ward, the Mayor and Recorder being present 
and an address delivered by the late Dr. John F. Gray, (an hon- 
ored kinsman.) 

An account of the 9th Ward Dinner states that among the 
honored guests present were David Williams, the surviving 
Captor of Major Andre, Mr. Samuel Youngs, a compatriot in 
arms with Williams, the Lieut. Gov. elect of the State, U. S. Sen- 
ator Hill of New Hampshire, the Mayor, Recorder, Secretary of 
State, and many others distinguished. An address was delivered 
by Richard Cromwell, Esq., which was listened to w^ith great 
attention, j)articularl}' when he alluded to Williams' services and 
incorruptible integrity. The venerable old gentleman involun- 
tarily rose from his seat quite overcome with emotion, which 
was shared by all present. 

The loth toast was "Fidelity and Integrity — David Williams 
and Enoch Crosby." 

A Volunteer Toast by Chas. M. Hay: "Mr. David Williams, 
the surviving Captor of Major Andre — his hoary locks a sight 
more beautiful to the eyes of Freemen than the richest crown 
that ever decked a monarch's brow." 

Justus Hagaborn, of Franklinton, near Livingstonville, now 



g6 years old, said to us recently that he well remembers David 
Williams. "His standing among his neighbors was good." 

The venerable Rev. L. D. Place, now of Hicksville, L. I., also 
remembers David Williams, having frecjuently seen him when a 
student at the Collegiate Institute at Durham, N. Y. "He was 
called Major by the people there. Was a lovable, genial old gen- 
tleman, commanding the respect of the entire community. At 
the summit of the hill west of the Institute was a hotel kept by a 
man named Hopkins. One evening in company with one of the 
Professors and a number of students I visited the hotel and we 
were all introduced to Mr. Williams. On invitation to give us 
an account of the Capture of Major Andre, he cordially complied 
and gave a thrilling account of the affair. The old man's face 
glowed witii pleasure at the thought of trapping a Spy. 

"We afterwards met him a number of times at the hotel, and he 
delighted (this unlettered man that some would have us believe 
him to have been,) in giving the boys difficult words to spell! 
On several occasions he loaned me his old flint lock musket that 
he had at the Capture of Andre." What would we not give for a 
look at that old musket now, but we fear that with many other 
precious mementoes, including the pistols given him by Washing- 
ton, it has hopelessly disappeared. 

It is strange to relate that Mr. Williams' remains, after resting 
peacefully for over forty years in the grave where his friends and 
neighbor had laid him in the quiet burial place at the foot of the 
mountain ^vhere he had lived, should have been subject to three 
removals and resurrections before they received their last inter- 
ment. But that it should have been so is only another proof 
that fact is often stranger than fiction, and in this case is a suffi- 
cient justification for the anathema \vhich Shakspeare pro- 
nounced uj^on those who should ever disturb his bones. And 
that these series of gre\vsome events should have been occasion- 
ed by the revival of patriotism that swept over the country in the 
Centennial Anniversaries of 1875-76 is quite as remarkable. 

As that time drew near, and the erection of patriotic memorials 
was in order, in anticipation of a monument to be erected to 
David Williams, a movement was started in nearby Rensselaer- 
ville to have his remains removed to a cemetery at that place, 
and having secured the endorsement of the scheme by a number 
of his descendants, a descent was made upon the hamlet of Liv- 



ingstonville, the t^rave openetl, and the remains carried off to be 
re-buried at the former place. That forbidding performance 
coming to the Icnowledge of the people of Schoharie aroused 
])ul)lic indignation and it was determined if possil)]e to subvert 
this high handed proceeding. In the meantime a bill had l)een 
introduced in the State Legislature by the Albany County repre- 
sentati\'es ap|)ropriating $2,000 for the erection of a Monument 
to I)a\-id Williams at Rensselaerville. which is in Albau}' County. 
After a struggle the bill was amended so that the Monument 
might be erected at either Rensselaerville or Schoharie, as a 
majority of tlu' ilirect descendants, of David Williams shcnild 
formally recpicst. Then came a contest for signatures, and the 
ehlest grandson, Mr. Wm. C. Williams, who had not been in favor 
of the Rensselaerville removal, with the aid of others undertook 
the work' of securing a reversal in favor of Schoharie, and after 
travelling several thousand miles in many States, from Iowa to 
Virginia, righteoush- succeeded. A formal demand then made 
for the l)ody was met by refusal and threatened personal vio- 
lence. The Rensselaerville people even went so far as, "Horri- 
bile Dictu !" to dig up the remains (that \vas the sect)nd resurrec- 
tion) and hide them away in a trench under a tree by the road- 
si<le where they could not well be discovered. At last, after 
some delay, a peaceable arrangement was effected, and Schoharie 
carried off the ])oor much abused remains in triumph; and that 
WMs the third resurrection ! Dr. Daniel Knower, in his Centennial 
address, in sjjeaking of this final removal, said : 

"On the iQtli of July, they were remtn'ed to the Stone Fort, 
Schoharie, to which destination they were escorted bv a large 
procession headed b}^ the American flag and amid martial 
music. All places of business were closed; the bells tolled, and 
the cannon at the Fort fired a salute, as the coffin wrapped in 
the American ilag, was dejiosited near its ])resent resting place." 

They were deposited in historic groimd, near the old Stone 
Fort, which is Ijordered l)y a notable l)urial place, and there on 
the 23rd day of S(.-i)1em her, 1876, the foundations of the monu- 
ment to the nuMuoryof the Incorru])tible Patriot, David Williams, 
were dedicate-d in the ])resence of the largest gathering ever as- 
sembled in the cai)itol to\\'n cd" Schoharie Countv, Hon. Greiiville 
Tremain, delivering a patriotic, and eloquent eulogy. And there 
covered with immortal honors, we will leave him. 



Mr. Hart's work, to which reference is made in connection 
with the portrait of David Williams which appears on the fron- 
tis page of this supplement to TlIE Argus, \vas published in a 
limited edition of 400 copies containing twenty life masks, intro- 
ducing the only jjortraits of the Three Captors of Andre. A few 
copies remain unsold which may be obtained from the author, 
Charles Henry Hart, 18 19 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, on Japan 
paper with portraits. 



sOo<sx3.- 




Tablet on the Monument to Andre at Westminster Abbey. 



ADDENDA, 



David Williams, Jr., married Lana Hess. He died Aug. ii, 1S62, and she died Jan'y 
10, 1SS7. They left seven children, as follows; 

A son William C. Williams, whose picture appears herewith, married Sina Turner of 
New Haven, Conn., and had daughter Florence, who is married and has two children: 
lives in Middleburgh; and a son, Wm. C. Williams, Jr., who lives in Schenectady. 

Iowa; left two children. 
A daughter. 



A son Daniel D. ^^'il- 
liams, born 1830, who is 
married but has no chil- 
dren ; resides at Sche- 
nectady, N. Y. 

A son, Myron Wil- 
liams, who lived at Ma- 
rion, Iowa; died, 1902, 
and left two sons and a 
daughter. 

A daughter Augusta. 
who married Edward 
Lounsberry, and left a 
daughter Anna E., who 
lives at Medusa, Albany 
County, N. Y. I 

A daughter Delia who 
married Daniel White- 
man, and lived at Alta, 




Nancy 
M. Williams, married a 
Mr. Chapman and lived 
near Livingstonville.left 
two children. 

A daughter, Amanda 
A. Williams, married 
Philip Becker; lived in 
X'irginia; a daughter. 

Jo.seph Benedict, the 
father of Nancy Bene- 
dict who married David 
Williams, was the son of 
loseph, who was son of 
[ohn, son of Deacon 
Thomas Benedict, born 
1(117, who was first of the 
name in New England. 



[From John Gehhard, Jr., the celebratad Geologist.] 



To Dr. Knowkr 



Schoharie, N. Y., Oct. 16, 1S76. 



Dear Sir — In compliance with your request, that I would inform you what I know in 
relation to the character and standing of the late David Williams, one of the captors of 
Major Andre, I would state that I was well acquainted with Mr. Williams for several 
years immediately preceding his death, and can bear cheerful testimony to the high 
standing for truth and integrity in which he was held by his neighbors and acquaintances. 

I was ]3resent at his funeral, which was large and imposing. After the sermon was 
])reached, the funeral procession ])roceeded to the cemetery, where an able eulogy was 
delivered by Robert McClellan, Esq., and before the remains were lowered to their rest- 
ing place R. W. Murphy, Esq., standing beside the cofhn, with a sorrowful heart, over- 
flowing with gratitude and symjiathy, stated to the vast assemblage that when he was a 
young orphan boy, David VVilliams took him to his home, supported and clothed him, 
gave him a good education and aided him in starting in business. He also gave a full 
and minute account of the daily life and habits of the deceased, and concluded by saying 
that David Williams died as he had lived through a long life, an upright and honest man. 

Respectfully your obt. serv't, 

JOHN GEBHARD, Jr. 



[E.\tract of a letter from J. R. Simms, Historian of .Schoharie Co.] 

Fort Plain, N. Y., Oct. 9, 1876. 

Judge Murphy, whom it was our pleasure to know nearly thirty years ago, and who 
was then a worthy citizen of Livingstonville, vSchoharie Co., was brought up from child- 
hood in the family of David Williams as one ot his own children. He held the charac- 
ter and virtue of his benefactor in t!ie highest esteem. No one could estimate his char- 
acter more truthfully, and no man ever knew him better, and the picture he gave of him 
as a man would com))are favorably for candor, integrity and benevolence with that of 
any man in Schoharie County to-day. 









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